[Report] Fully Booked Even Before Official Opening... The Unveiling of Starfield Suwon

On the morning of the 24th, at Starfield Suwon in Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province, the line of vehicles heading to the parking lot wrapped around the building. The parking status board continuously displayed messages indicating full capacity. On this day, Starfield Suwon held a media day along with a pre-opening ahead of its official opening on the 26th. Despite the cold wave hitting on a weekday, the mall was bustling with customers eager to explore the largest complex shopping mall in the southern Gyeonggi region. Notably, shoppers accompanied by their pets were seen throughout the venue. Although the operating hours were shortened to 6 p.m. on the pre-opening day, visitors continued to arrive until the closing announcement was made.

Starfield Suwon spans from 8 basement floors to 8 above-ground floors, with a total floor area of approximately 100,000 pyeong (331,000㎡), making it the largest complex shopping mall in the Suwon area. It promotes itself as a '2nd generation Starfield' with a significant increase in stores specialized for the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). Although it can accommodate up to 4,500 vehicles simultaneously, interest in this 'hot place' in Suwon surged so much that it reached full capacity even before the official opening.

Upon entering the store entrance, a large screen located in the center of the lobby caught the eye. The screen, which extends up to the rooftop of the 8-story building, continuously played promotional videos of the tenant stores.

Exterior view of Starfield Suwon.
[Photo by Shinsegae Property]

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Starfield Suwon symbolizes the 'Starfield 2.0' era. While existing Starfield stores were mainly neighborhood-type malls located in suburban areas, Starfield 2.0 is an urban shopping mall near Hwaseo Station in the original downtown area of Suwon. The store structure is also different; unlike the existing Starfields built as low-rise buildings on wide sites, this one is a multi-story building with eight floors. Lee Young-hoon, the manager of Starfield Suwon, explained, "While existing Starfields were stores aimed at families, Starfield Suwon was prepared targeting the MZ generation in addition to families."

During the tour of Starfield Suwon on this day, so-called 'hip' spaces targeting young people stood out. Many brands entering the mall for the first time were included, with 30% of the stores in Starfield Suwon being brands not seen in existing Starfields. They emphasized fashion brands by attracting popular stores from areas like Seongsu-dong and Hongdae, reflecting the characteristics of Suwon, where Millennials and the 1020 Jalpa generation (Generation Z + Alpha generation) make up a high proportion, according to Starfield officials. On the pre-opening day, customers visiting Starfield were mainly teenagers and young adults in their 20s and 30s, while the proportion of middle-aged and older customers was relatively low.

A view of the 'Byeolmadang Library' located from the 4th to the 7th floor of Starfield Suwon.
[Photo by Shinsegae Property]

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Among the various facilities at Starfield Suwon, the Byeolmadang Library stands out as a landmark. From the first day, the Byeolmadang Library at Starfield Suwon established itself as a 'must-visit course.' Visitors to this place repeatedly pressed the shutter button on their smartphone cameras with the 22-meter-high bookshelf of the Byeolmadang Library as the backdrop. Guests enjoying books and relaxing were also seen in the seats arranged throughout the area. By the afternoon, the library was so crowded that there were hardly any seats left. The prime seats at the caf? overlooking the Byeolmadang Library were also fully occupied.

The Byeolmadang Library at Starfield Suwon is the first of its kind in the capital area outside of Seoul. The Byeolmadang Library is a cultural space themed around books, where any visitor can read the books provided or enjoy cultural activities. The Byeolmadang Library at Starfield Suwon is located in an open space spanning from the 4th to the 7th floor, enhancing the sense of openness. Lectures and small performances are also held at the library, and after the official opening, lectures by cultural figures and small-scale concerts are scheduled.

Smob, Concord Fitness Club, Star Garden, Class Cock located in Starfield Suwon.
Photo by Lee Myunghwan

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Several so-called 'Seongsu-dong hot place' stores targeting the MZ generation have also opened. The accessory shop 'LCDC' from Seongsu-dong opened a complex store where customers can enjoy both clothing shopping and coffee. The character goods maker Oroliday’s curated shop 'Happier Mart' opened its first large-scale store at Starfield Suwon. The LP caf? 'Vinyl Seongsu,' where customers can listen to music on LP records while drinking coffee, also opened here for the first time outside Seongsu-dong.

Starfield Suwon promotes itself as 'Stayfield.' It means a space where customers can stay, eat, browse, and experience, discovering joy in everyday life. Emphasizing this, stores where customers can directly experience activities were placed at the forefront. First, the premium fitness club 'Concord' occupies the 6th and 7th floors. This place offers not only fitness but also group exercise (GX), tennis, and even a swimming pool, allowing visitors to enjoy various sports. An indoor golf club also opened, enabling screen golf practice and games.

The indoor sports theme park 'Smob,' where visitors can enjoy climbing, baseball, archery, and other sports, also opened on this day. Guests visiting Smob gathered in small groups to enjoy their preferred sports. 'Classcok,' a space where various hobbies such as cooking, painting, and fitness can be experienced through group programs, also began operations. Customers attending a yoga lecture held at Classcok on this day followed the instructor’s guidance to perform yoga poses.

Additionally, the 8th-floor rooftop features 'Star Garden,' where pet owners and their pets can spend time together. A 'Pet Park' is provided here, offering a leisurely walking space for dogs. At the Pet Park visited by the press on this day, large dogs such as Border Collies, which are rarely seen in large shopping malls, were playing with their owners. Starfield Suwon allows pet dogs to enter.

Interior view of Starfield Suwon. [Photo by Shinsegae Property]

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The food and beverage stores are divided into three themes: ▲ 'Bites Place,' a food edit shop where light snacks and meals can be enjoyed ▲ 'Gourmet Street,' gathering famous restaurants by star chefs ▲ and 'Ittopia,' themed around a natural paradise. Starfield Suwon houses stores by star chefs such as Asul Cheongdam, Hyotteu, and Stinky Bacon Truck, as well as famous stores like Knotted and Bonanza Coffee. Since restaurants and cafes that are hard to find locally have opened, some stores drew long waiting lines from the first day of opening.

Stores reflecting the characteristics of the Suwon area have also opened. The local caf? 'Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters,' which only has stores in Suwon, opened on the 2nd floor Gourmet Street. Additionally, the Byeolmadang Library plans to prioritize inviting local figures from Suwon for future cultural lectures.

Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province, where Starfield Suwon is located, has a population of 1.2 million, the largest in Gyeonggi Province. Including demand from nearby cities in the southern Gyeonggi area, about 5 million people reside nearby, and Starfield Suwon’s strategy is to attract these customers. The area near Starfield Suwon is equipped with road networks such as the Pyeongtaek-Paju, Yongin-Seoul, and Yeongdong Expressways, and Hwaseo Station on Seoul Subway Line 1 is also across the street. Based on this competitiveness, Starfield Suwon is expected to compete with nearby AK Plaza Suwon Branch, Lotte Department Store Suwon Branch, and Hanwha Galleria Gwanggyo Branch. Lotte Department Store Suwon Branch is undergoing a large-scale renovation in line with Starfield Suwon’s opening and plans to have a soft opening next month.

However, traffic and parking remain issues to be resolved. Starfield Suwon is adjacent to residential complexes such as apartments and officetels, and a large number of customers are expected to flock upon opening. The expansion construction of Hwaseo Station, including the Shinbundang Line, is also considered a variable for nearby road traffic. To prepare for this, Starfield Suwon will operate three temporary parking lots and shuttle buses on weekends and holidays from the official opening day on the 26th until March 3rd.

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